Ready
by Avery Gray
Summary: Castle and Kate make love after 3 months apart. Set in season 7.


She's been so clingy. He's said that he can't imagine the pain she must have been going through in the months without him. She hasn't brought it up since the night after they found out about the fake Jenkins guy. At all. She'll direct the conversation elsewhere whenever prompted about how she's doing or she'll say she's fine. She'll never be the talker he is. It would take time to get them back where they were. She spent a year in therapy learning to cope and he trusted her progress. Her growth.

He had just finished yet another movie. His fiancee was sleeping on top of him. Her head resting over his heart. Her mouth slightly open. Looking ten years younger as she slept. Kate could barely make it through any movie he would put on without falling asleep-tired from a long day's work. He wished he could spend the rest of their lives like this. He'd never let her go.

Of course, reality wouldn't allow them to do that. Hell, Kate's going to be pissed at him if he lets her miss her night time routine.

He gently shook her.

"Kate, Sweetheart. Wake up. Let's go to bed," he urged in that silky whisper saved just for her.

She lifted her head. A little dazed at her surroundings. She knew she was on top of her fiancé, his arms wrapped tightly around her. That thought made her smile. They put on a movie, something with Jason Statham, she vaguely recalled.

"I'm so sorry for falling asleep on you again." She seemed like she was apologizing more in the last few weeks than at any other time since he's known her.

He reassured her that everything was fine. She could lay on top of him whenever she pleased.

She cracked a genuine smile at the love of her life. She realized she'd always be able to make her smile. Through it all, he would never lose his sense of humor.

She leaned down to give him a peck on the lips. It lingered tonight. They hadn't been intimate since he returned but Castle could tell that something was a little different in this kiss. His hands that were once clasped on her back slid down to grab her ass. She moaned at his touch. God, she missed him so much.

She'd still experience a sick feeling whenever she remembered those nights without him. Not knowing if he was dead or alive.

Clamp it down, Kate, she silently urged herself recalling Dr. Burke's soothing words about being in control of her emotions.

She abruptly pulled back and pulled herself to her feet.

"Let's go to bed, Castle," she smiled down at her amazing man. Kate grabbed his hand and led him to the bedroom.

Castle sat on the edge of the bed waiting for her command.

"Be right out," her sexy bedroom voice full of promises.

She entered the bathroom and looked in the mirror, silently hoping she could pull herself together for the next few hours. She loved Castle too much and missed him in so many ways. They've done this dance a million and one times. She hoped the physical intimacy would help bring back what his absence started to sever. That bond forged with the spirit of everything they've been through together.

Castle ran upstairs while she was in the bathroom. He's never been one for sitting still. He knew her nighttime routine by heart. He'd only need two minutes to brush his own teeth and run back downstairs. He quickly completed his business. When he returned, he swiftly ran his hands through his hair, pulled off his jeans and sat on the edge of the bed. She liked his hair a little messy, she had told him once.

In the bathroom, Kate continued her inner musings. After a couple deep breaths, she grabbed the tooth brush and started her routine. She finished quicker than normal. Removing all traces of the makeup and dirt from the day. I can do this she promised herself as she changed into one of his tee shirts that had been hanging on the door. She'd only been sleeping in those for the last few months. After one more deep breath, she turned off the bathroom light and headed into the bedroom.

"Hey, You," he said scanning her body in his tee shirt. He had lit a candle. His fiancee looked so damn good in candle light.

"Hey, Yourself," she responded shyly while walking over to him and taking a seat next to him.

He put his hand on her thigh and she turned to face him. Their lips touched for the second time that night. Kate was so happy to be tasting him again. They kissed fervently for a few minutes. Her hand through his hair. His on her thigh. Her tongue danced on his lips begging for entry. He opened his mouth and obliged. It was becoming so much for him. He pushed her back a little.

"Kate. Let me make this right," he asked so desperately. She could only nod in response.

It had been a while for both of them. Castle, always the gentleman, wanted to make sure she was properly ready.

He stood up and pulled her shirt over her head and took another long moment to look at his beautiful fiancee. She was sitting in front of him with nothing but a pair of black lacy underwear. His favorite. He was a lucky man.

She slid her lean body back until she was propped against the headboard. Castle took off his own shirt leaving him in just his boxers. He was already hard, ready for her. His body remembered how long it had been even if his mind did not.

He made his way up the bed on his knees. Even in the candle light, Kate noticed a new scar on his chest, evidence of the bullet they say grazed him. She sat up on her knees and reached out to touch it.

"Castle" she whispered unable to stop a treacherous tear from leaking out. He palmed her face and used his thumb to wipe it away.

"Shh. It's ok," he reassured, "I'm here". He kissed her again. This was a message. It would convey his faith in their relationship. His love for the woman in front of him. His trust in the bond they've built.

They would be great he recalled his promise he made on that glorious day she accepted his marriage proposal. He knew they would be.

He laid her down on the pillow and continued to gently kiss her. He moved his hand down her long body. Stopping only to grab the breasts he couldn't wait to taste. His hand found its home on her backside; he gave slight squeeze. She's definitely been working out he thought.

He re-positioned his body on top of hers while he continued to gently kiss her face. Her eyelids. Her nose. Her cheeks.

Kate wanted more. She grabbed his head to position his lips on hers. She tightened the grip on her legs around his. He reacted by grinding himself on her center. They moaned in each other's mouth at the sensation. Long forgotten were the worries of earlier.

He moved his lips to her neck; he was kissing each side and sucking on her pulse point. Marking her. She was getting impossibly soaked by the things he was doing to her neck and lower with his body. Her body almost always responded to his and it had been so damn long. She never wanted to spend another day away from him.

There are times she never thought she would see this man again; let alone be at his wonderful mercy. Castle lifted himself off of her to slide his hand around and she moaned his name when two of his fingers make contact where she needed it the most.

"I missed you so much. I missed us." he whispered as his fingers continued to do magnificent things her body. Truthfully, it had only been three weeks in his mind. He can't remember the nights without her. To him, the last time they made love was the night before they were to marry. He hardened even more at the thought of the things she did to him on that night.

"Come for me. Kate," he urged continuing his oral assault on her neck. His fingers hadn't stopped rubbing her most sensitive area. He's painfully hard at this point but he has to know that he can still make her come. That she is still his.

She's so close. Her breath coming out in shallow gasps. She's begging Castle not to stop.

"I love you so much, baby," he knows those words are her undoing and she finally becomes unraveled as he whispers her them to her. He kisses her through her orgasm while he removes his hands from his favorite place. Castle brings his fingers to her mouth and she licks the evidence of her glorious climax off; he kisses her and moans at the taste. They are most certainly back he thinks.

His erection is agonizingly pressed against his boxers. He sits up to pull them off. Kate reaches out to touch him. He's not going to last long as her hand does a dance of their own against him.

"Kate. I'm going to-" he can't finish that sentence because all he can think about is being inside her. Kate knows he's about to come. It's the only time he'll stop talking she smiles as she continues playing with him.

She's thinking clearly enough to realize the mess that's about to be made. Three months with no sex. She usually doesn't do this. He never asks her to. She rolls over on her stomach while she continues to pump him.

"Come for me, Rick," she begs in her sexiest voice. He loves when she uses his name. He's barely hanging on and ends up losing it quickly when she wraps her lips around him; she's taking everything he has to offer while he gently places his hands in her hair. Once would never be enough for Castle. She learned that their first night together. He lifts her up and leans in to kiss her, ready for more.

"Hold that thought", she avoids his kiss and kisses his cheek instead. She hops off the bed and retreats to the bathroom again. Castle doesn't care about tasting himself on her but knows that Kate does. Some things will never change.

Castle waits in bed with the sheet pulled up over the lower half of his body, observant as ever. He hears the water running and knew immediately where Kate had escaped to.

In the bathroom, Kate has grabbed her toothbrush for a quick brush and mouthwash just as he suspected. She flushes the toilet despite not using it, pulls off her soaked panties, and heads out into the bedroom again.

"You brushed?" he asks as enters the bed under the sheets curled up on his chest.

"Noooo" she exaggerates before kissing her fiancé. He knows her too well. Minty.

"You know I don't care-" he starts but she cuts him off, "I know but I do," she reminds him, trying to avoid another argument. Not after the wonderful night they've had rediscovering each other's bodies. She decides to shut him up the best way she knows how.

Castle gasps when she grabs him and he's completely hard again. They both knew he wasn't going to be fully satisfied until he was inside her. She should know after all these years. Castle pulls her on top of him and goes to taste her lips once more. After a few sweet pecks, they begin kissing more desperately while rubbing their lower bodies together more intimately.

He grudgingly removes his hands from her ass and works to remove the pillow from under his head. He's now lying flat against his bed. Breaking his lips away, he slides Kate up to taste her breasts. Castle could never forget her spots; Kate was moaning like crazy as his mouth continued its exploration. He could feel more evidence of her arousal pooling on his stomach. That was his cue to slide her up even further. She knew exactly where this was heading.

Castle loves this. He tastes her intimately now and she uses the headboard for support to ride his face. Kate knows she's not going to last long in this position. She loves when they do this but she's missed him so much. She's needs intimacy at this point, not just orgasms. She's ready to make love; a physical representation of their partnership that they've built for the last six years. She stops and climbs back down his body.

"I love you," she whispers, "I'm ready". He turns them over and she spreads her legs. He moves to rest between them, reaching down to line them up. He pauses for a moment.

"Kate," she starts, "Should I get a condom?" he hates to ask but it's better to deal with now than later.

"Babe, I'm still on the pill. I think we are good," she responds. He knew that. He saw her take them every morning but that's not what worried him. Castle hates that he can't remember what happened. He would never in a million years cheat on Kate willingly or knowingly but he doesn't know what happened. He would rather be safe. Protect her.

She sees the look on his face and wants to reassure him.

"I trust you, Castle. You wouldn't hurt me like that," she offers, showing more belief in him than he has in himself.

"I love you" is all he can say as he slowly enters her. In that moment, they are one again. Moments become minutes. Minutes become hours. They never stop moving together in the all too familiar dance. Sunlight begins to stream into the loft but they will never tire of one another. At one point, Kate couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face. Happy tears. The realization that he was alive and well and inside of her became overwhelming. She held him so tight as wave after wave of sentiment spilled out of her onto him. Castle cried too. Silent tears for what they had almost lost. He'd never know what that time apart did to her.

He vowed to never let her experience it again.


End file.
